Presentation
The RETOS Experience: International Guidelines and Tools for Assessing Oil Spill Response Planning and Preparedness
SessionBest Practices and Protocols
DescriptionIn 2021, the Association of Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy Companies of Latin America and the Caribbean (ARPEL), Ipieca, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) sponsored a project to update the 2008 International Oil Spill Conference (IOSC) guide “Assessment of Oil Spill Response Capabilities: A Proposed International Guide for Oil Spill Response Planning and Readiness Assessment”. The update includes new information and good practices adopted since 2007, including Ipieca-IOGP good practice guidelines and their related technical support documents, the latest IMO publications, and other relevant documents. An international Technical Task Force contributed to updates that expanded the guidance and reference sources for improved oil spill response program assessments.
The 2021 initiative also supported updates to the ARPEL “Readiness Evaluation Tool for Oil Spills (RETOS™)” and shifted a series of Excel files to a web-based application. The new 2023 “International Guide for the Assessment of Oil Spill Response Planning and Preparedness” (augmented with over 500 references to supporting materials), the updated RETOS™ web-based application, and its accompanying Manual are now fully aligned and interconnected in the ten overall assessment categories. These advances in the tools improve the functionality for assessment and gap analysis and assist in defining an improvement plan derived from the RETOS™ application.
The assessment tools have been used by governments and/or industry in over 100 countries to assess the status of oil spill readiness and preparedness, predominantly for national and local facility spill response programs. ARPEL, IMO, and Ipieca have promoted and used these tools regionally to assist countries in identifying opportunities to improve national preparedness programs and to help drive activities addressing regional gaps and areas for improvement, highlight specific areas for bi-lateral and multi-lateral mutual aid agreements, and provide regional solutions to national problems. Companies have used the tools to assess their preparedness programs across multiple operations and facilities, using the RETOS™ assessment as a benchmark to ensure alignment with international and industry expectations.
The value of these tools reflects the internationally accepted assessment criteria and approach to enhancing spill response preparedness and planning programs. It provides governments and industry with a globally accepted ‘language’ to facilitate the review of environmental impact studies and the environmental licensing of industry operations and to benchmark their own response programs in the context of the international community.
The 2021 initiative also supported updates to the ARPEL “Readiness Evaluation Tool for Oil Spills (RETOS™)” and shifted a series of Excel files to a web-based application. The new 2023 “International Guide for the Assessment of Oil Spill Response Planning and Preparedness” (augmented with over 500 references to supporting materials), the updated RETOS™ web-based application, and its accompanying Manual are now fully aligned and interconnected in the ten overall assessment categories. These advances in the tools improve the functionality for assessment and gap analysis and assist in defining an improvement plan derived from the RETOS™ application.
The assessment tools have been used by governments and/or industry in over 100 countries to assess the status of oil spill readiness and preparedness, predominantly for national and local facility spill response programs. ARPEL, IMO, and Ipieca have promoted and used these tools regionally to assist countries in identifying opportunities to improve national preparedness programs and to help drive activities addressing regional gaps and areas for improvement, highlight specific areas for bi-lateral and multi-lateral mutual aid agreements, and provide regional solutions to national problems. Companies have used the tools to assess their preparedness programs across multiple operations and facilities, using the RETOS™ assessment as a benchmark to ensure alignment with international and industry expectations.
The value of these tools reflects the internationally accepted assessment criteria and approach to enhancing spill response preparedness and planning programs. It provides governments and industry with a globally accepted ‘language’ to facilitate the review of environmental impact studies and the environmental licensing of industry operations and to benchmark their own response programs in the context of the international community.
Authors
Event Type
Paper
TimeThursday, May 16th10:20am - 10:40am CDT
Location275-277
Preparedness